This article was co-authored by Janice Litza, MD. Dr. Litza is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician in Wisconsin. She is a practicing Physician and taught as a Clinical Professor for 13 years, after receiving her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998.

There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Similar to Ebola virus, Marburg hemorrhagic fever is a very rare but dangerous type of hemorrhagic fever that affects both humans and primates. Reducing your chance of infection and recognizing the symptoms early can mean the difference between life and death if you or someone you know contracts Marburg.

Steps

Part 1

Identifying the Symptoms

1

Note initial "flu-like" symptoms. The first symptoms of Marburg can include severe headache, chills, fever, and joint or muscle pain.[1] These "flu-like" symptoms appear in many other illnesses that aren’t as deadly. But if you or someone you know was recently in an area where Marburg occurs naturally and begins showing these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

2

Watch for a rash about five days after initial symptoms appear. This rash will be maculopapular, or characterized by flat red areas on the skin covered in bumps. The rash is usually located on the chest, back, and stomach, and may come and go quickly.[2]

3

Be aware that hemorrhagic symptoms will begin around the fifth day. Hemorrhagic symptoms include bleeding from bodily orifices as well as internal bleeding. Blood may also begin to fail to clot, which prevents the body’s wound healing process from functioning normally.[3]

4

Watch for jaundice after day five as well. Jaundice is a yellow or green pigmentation of the skin caused by high levels of bilirubin, which is a compound that helps break down waste in the human body. Though it has many causes, if it appears after the rash it is almost certainly Marburg. Look for discoloration in the whites of the eyes and in nail beds, as well as the skin.[4]

5

Watch out for severe weight loss. Severe weight loss also occurs after day five of the onset of symptoms. The degree of weight loss can vary by patient. But any rapid weight loss is probably due to Marburg.[5]

6

Watch for delirium around the same time. Delirium is a classic symptom of late-stage Marburg virus. The virus infects the central nervous system and causes victims to act increasingly confused with out of character behavior. Victims may also slip into a coma around this time.[6]

7

Understand Marburg’s deadliness. Death from organ failure and massive hemorrhaging usually occurs 6 to 9 days after the initial onset of symptoms.[7] There is no effective treatment, cure, or vaccine for Marburg hemorrhagic fever.

Part 2

Reducing Your Chance of Infection

1

Watch out if you live in or visit areas where Marburg originated. Though the virus got its name from an outbreak in Marburg, Germany in 1967, it does not come from Europe. Rather, it is African in origin.

Though rare, Marburg cases have been reported in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.

Marburg virus occurs naturally in cave-dwelling African fruit bats. Be careful if you visit caves in any country where Marburg cases have been reported. The bats do not show symptoms. While the bat-to-human transmission route is unknown, exposure to infected bat feces or aerosols like bat urine are the most likely reason for infection.[9]

Avoid contact with monkeys in a country with reported Marburg cases. Monkeys can also spread the disease.[10]

2

Avoid contact with a Marburg victim, dead or alive. Many Marburg cases in humans happen as a result of human-to-human contact. Exposure to blood, secretions, or organs of infected people is Marburg’s means of transmission between humans.[11]

If you are caring for a Marburg victim, don’t come into direct contact with their blood or other secretions.

If the victim is located in an area where bodies are washed before burial, take special care to not touch the victim directly, since Marburg can be transmitted even after death.

3

Be careful if you are a healthcare worker in high-risk areas. Healthcare workers are at high risk of contracting Marburg if they see many victims per day. Getting stuck with a hypodermic needle with the virus on it can lead to particularly swift and severe infection.

Remember to use barrier nursing techniques such as consistent use of latex gloves, impermeable gowns, and respirators to protect yourself. Isolating infected individuals is also a good idea.

Part 3

Seeking Treatment

1

Remember that Marburg’s incubation period is 5 to 10 days long. Any infectious disease will have an incubation period during which the sufferer shows no symptoms. Marburg’s incubation period lasts 5 to 10 days on average. So if you or someone you know who is at risk for the virus begins showing symptoms after that time, it might be Marburg. [12]

2

Get to a hospital immediately if you or someone you know starts showing symptoms. The only way for Marburg sufferers to receive any kind of treatment is through intensive supportive care. This usually entails continuously replenishing lost fluids, electrolytes, and blood through intravenous drips. It also means treating any secondary infections as they occur.

3

Do not try to care for a Marburg sufferer at home. It is impossible to conduct intensive supportive care at home. So if you or someone you know is suffering from Marburg, seek immediate medical attention.

Article Info

This article was co-authored by Janice Litza, MD. Dr. Litza is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician in Wisconsin. She is a practicing Physician and taught as a Clinical Professor for 13 years, after receiving her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998.